Walking Safely Research Report

Walking Safely
A Report to the Nation
August 2012
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
We take it for granted from our earliest years that our simplest way of
getting from here to there is walking. From our first steps as toddlers
to our first walk to school, we are taught to understand the risks
and precautions that are necessary to get where we are going safely.
Walking requires motor skills, decision making and an understanding
of the area around us.
It seems so simple, yet as we teach children to navigate around cars,
roads, cyclists, traffic signals, directions and more, we can appreciate
that a walk today requires more than looking left, right and left again.
Does the motorist see us as we cross the street? Is there eye contact
with the driver, or is the driver distracted by using a mobile device? Is a
motorist driving too fast to stop for a traffic light or crosswalk? Walking
safely requires the focused attention of both walkers and drivers.
It also deserves the attention of our nation. This is the third report in
a series conducted by Safe Kids Worldwide with the support of FedEx
to study walking safety. This report examines trends in motor vehiclerelated pedestrian injuries and deaths among children ages 19 and
under in the United States.
The good news from the report is that there has been a 53 percent
decline in the pedestrian death rate and a 44 percent decline in the
pedestrian injury rate among children ages 19 and under over the past
15 years. Yet when we take a close look at the death and injury rates
over the most recent years, progress has slowed, and in 2010, appears to
have changed course.
Each day, an estimated 61 children in the United States ages 19 and
under are injured as pedestrians more than 425,780 children in the
last 15 years. In 2010 alone, 501 child pedestrians were killed. Since
1995, nearly 11,053 children have died as a result of being hit by
motor vehicles.
Walking Safely: A Report to the Nation
The most significant finding in this report is that the leading at-risk age
group has shifted since 1995 when 5 to 9 year olds sustained the most
injuries, to today when teens are at greatest risk. The death rate among
older teens is now twice that of younger children.
Safe Kids hypothesizes that the increase in pedestrian injury affecting
teenagers is related to distraction, caused by the use of electronics
and hand-held devices while walkingjust as there is an epidemic of
drivers distracted by the same stimuli. A very recent study issued by
the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), states there is an
alarming trend in injury risk involving distracted walkers.
Our nations youngest walkers, those 1 and 2 years old, are especially
vulnerable, as their exuberance in their new mobility knows no (safety)
bounds. Deaths among children in that age group are second only to
teenagers.
What are the steps we must take to protect our children as we walk
into the future? Safe Kids has developed the following call to action to
protect children from pedestrian deaths and injuries.
CALL TO ACTION
Research must be conducted to determine the causes of the negative
trends and uncover effective means to reverse them.
Stakeholders must cast a new focus on education and behavior
change about pedestrian safety for kids 14 to 19, while continuing
education and programs that have been effective for younger kids.
Government at all levels must invest in infrastructure to make
walking safer for kids of all ages, especially in and around school
zones.
Each of us must commit to walking and driving without distraction.
Distraction due to mobile technologies is an epidemic resulting in
both deaths and injuries and must end.
Continued evaluation of behavior change efforts, environmental
improvements, and advocacy successes will help create a future where
pedestrian safety is greatly improved.
Safe Kids Worldwide
PEDESTRIAN
SAFETY
BY THE NUMBERS
THE GOOD NEWS IS

53%
44%
THE CHILD
PEDESTRIAN
DEATH RATE
IS DOWN 53%
SINCE 1995
THE CHILD
PEDESTRIAN
INJURY RATE
IS DOWN 44%
SINCE 1995
34%
INJURY RATES FOR

KIDS 5-9 WERE DOWN
34% IN THE LAST
FIVE YEARS COMPARED
TO THE PREVIOUS
FIVE YEARS
TEENS
Most at risk are
In the last five years, injuries

among 16-19 year olds
increased 25%
over the previous five years
Could digital devices be a cause?
75%
of 12-17 year olds owned cell phones

in 2009, up from 45% in 2004
WALK SAFELY
kids are hit by cars every day in the United States.
Every one of these injuries is preventable.
Learn how at safekids.org
THE FINDINGS
Scope of Study
Trends: Good News and Bad News
This report examines motor

vehicle-related pedestrian
injuries among children ages 19
and under in the United States.
Fatality data was obtained from
the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administrations (NHTSA)
Fatality Analysis Reporting
System (FARS) database which
is a compilation of annual
nationwide databases of traffic
fatalities.4 Nonfatal data was
obtained from NHTSAs General
Estimates System (GES), which
is based upon a nationally
representative sample of motor
vehicle crash police records.5
Population data was obtained
from the U.S. Census Bureau
and combined with NHTSAs
data to calculate rates.6,7,8
The good news is the death rate for pedestrians ages 19 and under has
decreased from 1.29 deaths per 100,000 children in 1995 to 0.60 deaths
per 100,000 children in 2010, as shown in Figure 1.4,6,7,8
Figure 1: Trends in Pedestrian Death Rates by Year,
United States, 1995-2010, Children Ages 19 and Under
1.4 1.29
1.20
Death Rates (per 100,000)
1.2
1.13
1.03
1.0
0.98
0.92
0.88
0.82 0.83
0.73 0.73
0.8
0.60
0.71 0.71
0.6
0.64
0.55
0.4
0.2
10
09
20
08
20
07
20
06
20
05
20
04
20
03
20
02
20
01
20
00
20
99
20
98
19
97
19
96
19
19
19
95
0.0
Year
Similarly, during the same period, the injury rate among children ages
19 and under has declined from a rate of 47.5 per 100,000 to 26.8 per
100,000, as shown in Figure 2.5,6,7,8
Figure 2: Trends in Child Pedestrian Estimated Injury Rates by Year,
Estimated Injury Rates (per 100,000)
60
47.5
50
47.7
42.2
39.2
40
36.5
34.5
30
30.2 30.0
34.5
28.0 27.8
26.8
29.5 28.6
23.3
20
23.1
10
10
09
20
20
08
07
20
20
06
05
20
04
20
03
20
02
20
20
01
00
20
20
99
98
19
97
19
96
19
19
19
95
Year
Safe Kids Worldwide
This progress represents a 53% decline in the death rate and a 44%
decline in the estimated injury rate in the past 15 years.4,5,6,7,8 Yet when
we take a close look at death and injury rates over the most recent years,
the trend lines flattened and increased slightly in 2010. This change is
worrisome. The most recent data demonstrates the need for continued
research into whether this is a sustained, upward trend, why the increase
is occurring and what steps are needed to reverse it.
Differences in Death and Injury Rates by Year
Safe Kids took snapshot views of pedestrian death and injury rates in five
year intervals 1995, 2000, 2005, and 2010 in age groups 0 to 4, 5
to 9, 10 to 14 and 15 to 19. As shown in Figure 3, the decline in deaths
is evident across each age group.4,6,7,8 Today, the death rate among older
teens is twice that of younger kids 1.11 deaths per 100,000 population
as compared to .47, .33, and .45, respectively, in younger age groups.4,6,7,8
Figure 3: Trends in Child Pedestrian Death Rates by Age Group,
1.8
1.59
1.6
1.40
1.4
1.2
1.31
1.25
1.18
1.11
1.00
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.80
0.81
0.55
0.47
0.76
0.56
0.55
0.45
0.33
0.4
0.2
0.0
0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
Age Group
1995
2000
2005
2010
There are similar trends in the estimated nonfatal injury rates by age
group, as shown in Figure 4.5,6,7,8 Some age groups fared better and others
worse. In 1995, 5 to 9 year olds led the nation in injury rates. Today,
injury rates among that population are down 65%. Among the other age
groups, the progress has been less dramatic.
Figure 4: Trends in Child Pedestrian Estimated Injury Rates by Age Group,

70
64.6
57.4
60
55.8
50
43.1
37.9
40
30
37.7
26.6
38.2
38.8
34.4
36.0
26.0
22.2
20
15.1 13.8
9.4
10
0
0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
Age Group
1995
Safe Kids Worldwide
2000
2005
2010
Trends in the Number of Injuries, 2001-2005 versus 2006-2010

An assessment of the change in the number of injuries among children
ages 1 to 19 when comparing two recent five-year time periods, 20012005 and 2006-2010, reveals that new walkers and older teenagers are
at ever-increasing risk. As shown in Figure 5, injuries among both 1
and 2 year olds increased over this time period. Further, there was a
25% increase in injuries among 16 to 19 year olds in the most recent
five years as compared to the previous five years.5 Conversely, injuries
decreased 34% for kids ages 5 to 9 and 16% for kids ages 10 to 15
during these two time periods.5
Figure 5: Change in Number of Injuries Among Children Ages 1-19,
2001-2005 Versus 2006-2010
Ages 16-19
+25%
60%
52%
Ages 1-4
-31%
Change in Number of Injuries
40%
Ages 5-9
-34%
Ages 10-15
-16%
27%
24%
19%
20%
13%
3%
0%
4 5 6
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Age
-4%
-9%
-5%
-17%
-20%
-18%
-27%
-31%
-40%
-36%
-47%
-60%
13%
-55%
-50%
-59%
Safe Kids believes pedestrian distraction is a critical factor in this increase

in injuries among older children. These findings coincide with the
increased availability of mobile technologies mid-decade. Older kids,
smart phones in hand, cell phones and music in their ears, may be
stepping into roads without paying appropriate attention to the risks
surrounding them.
Trends in Gender Differences

Males continue to be overrepresented in pedestrian injuries and deaths,
yet less so in recent years.6,7,8,13,14 Figures 6 and 7 show that from 1995
through 2010, males were at increased risk of death and nonfatal injury
when compared to females.6,7,8,13,14 Over time, the gender gap narrowed
considerably for injuries, but less so for deaths.6,7,8,13,14
Figure 6: Trends in Child Pedestrian Death Rates by Sex,
1.8
Female
Male
1.61
1.6
1.4
1.11
1.2
0.97
1.0
0.92
0.77
0.72
0.8
0.57
0.6
0.42
0.4
0.2
0.0
1995
2000
2005
2010
Year
Figure 7: Trends in Child Pedestrian Estimated Injury Rates by Sex,

60
59.45
Female
Male
50
40.39
40
36.06
33.58
32.46
30
25.69
28.73
24.86
20
10
0
1995
2000
2005
2010
Year
Safe Kids Worldwide
2010 Snapshot for Pedestrian Deaths and Injuries

Who is Being Killed?
By Age: In 2010, the number of children ages 19 and under who were
killed as pedestrians by motor vehicles was not evenly distributed by age,
as shown in Figure 8.4 Of the 501 children who died, children ages 14 to
19 accounted for nearly 55% of the deaths.4 Children ages 1 and 2 years
old made up nearly 12% of the deaths.4
Figure 8: Child Pedestrian Deaths by Age,
United States, 2010, Children Ages 19 and Under
80
Number of Deaths
67
60
60
48
40
37
33
29
25
20
14
19
33
16 14
15 16 16 18
12
12 14
3
0
<1 1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Age (in years)
By Gender: Consistent with past trends, males made up a majority

(66%) of deaths in 2010, as shown in Figure 9.15
Figure 9: Child Pedestrian Deaths by Sex,
Female
171 (34%)
Male
330 (66%)
By Race and Ethnicity: As depicted in Figure 10, white, non-Hispanic

children experienced approximately 34% of pedestrian deaths, yet
comprise 76% of the 19 and under population in the USA.16,17
Approximately 24% of the children who died were black, non-Hispanic,
but this racial and ethnic group makes up 15% of the 19 and under
population.16,17 Hispanics sustained about 17% of the deaths, but make
up 22% of the 19 and under population.16,17 Our analysis is tempered
given that one in five children who died as a pedestrian was classified in
the other/unknown race/ethnicity category.
Figure 10: Child Pedestrian Death by Race/Ethnicity,
100
76%
80
80
60
60
40
40
22%
34.2%
24.3% 15%
20
20
17.4%
20.9%
Hispanic
White,
NonHispanic
Black,
NonHispanic
Other/
Unknown
1.9% 1.3% 1.3%4.4%

American
Indian
or
Alaska Native,
Non-Hispanic
Asian
Percent of 19 and Under Population
Percent of Pedestrian Deaths
100
Who is Being Injured?
As children age, they are generally at increased risk for pedestrian

injuries, as shown in Figure 11.5 In 2010, children ages 14 to 19 years
of age accounted for 50% of all the injuries among children ages 19 and
under.5 Children aged 14 years sustained the most injuries by far that
year. Yet, analysis of previous years statistics indicates that this teenage
group does not always rank highest; sometimes other teenagers suffer the
greatest number of injuries.5
Safe Kids Worldwide
10
Figure 11: Estimated Child Pedestrian Injuries by Age,

Estimated Number of Injuries
3500
3236
3000
2500
2122
1844
1771
2000
1539
1496
1500
1127
1068
1000
558 558
500 295
730
967
1319
1153
874
723
492
411
68
0
<1 1 2 3
5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Age
When and Where?
As shown in Figures 12 and 13, there is a decrease in pedestrian deaths

and injuries in the winter followed by an increase in the warmer
months.11,18 Even within this general pattern, however, there is some
variability in the number of deaths and injuries. For example, Figure 12
shows that children are most likely to be killed in the months of July,
September and October and least likely in February.18
Figure 12: Child Pedestrian Deaths by Month,
60
53
Number of Deaths
50
41
44
40
30
53
46
44
39
38
35
33
51
24
20
10
0
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
Month
11
As shown in Figure 13, the number of nonfatal injuries is highest in the

months when most students end and begin the school year (June, August
and September), peaking in September.11
Figure 13: Child Pedestrian Estimated Injuries by Month,
Estimated Number of Injuries
3000
2777
2488
2500
2358
2278
2071
2000
1744
1810
1659
1500
1802
1220
1052 1091
1000
500
0
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
Month
Figure 14 indicates that child pedestrians are most often killed or injured
in motor vehicle-related incidents in the afternoon and evening.12,19 Of
the children killed, more than 44% of the incidents occurred between
3 pm and 9 pm.19 Among those nonfatally injured, kids are twice as
likely to be injured from 3 pm to 6 pm than any other time of day.12
The next largest number of children (16%) are injured in the morning
between the 6 am and 9 am, a common time that children travel to
school.12
Figure 14: Child Pedestrian Deaths and Estimated Injuries by Time of Day,
Deaths
Injuries
1% 1%
17%
8%
Midnight 3 am
10%
5%
26%
8%
3 am 6 am
7%
9%
6 am 9 am
9 am Noon
21%
16%
4%
9%
Noon 3 pm
3 pm 6 pm
6 pm 9 pm
18%
Safe Kids Worldwide
9 pm Midnight
40%
12
In 2010, a majority, 67%, of deaths occurred on urban roads.20 This is

consistent with the literature which states that children in low-income,
densely populated, urban residential areas are at a substantially higher
risk of pedestrian-related incidents.21
Figure 15: Child Pedestrian Deaths by Location,
Rural
162 (32%)
Urban
337 (67%)
Unknown
2 (1%)
In terms of location, 39% of child pedestrians died as a result of being

hit in intersections in 2010 and 56% were killed in other locations on
the road.22 In addition, 76% of deaths occurred in locations without
traffic control devices such as pedestrian crossing signals, stop signs or
other warning signs.23
Among children killed, 8% of cases involved speeding by the driver;
in all other cases, the driver was found to be traveling within the speed
limit.24 Yet speeding data as a risk factor for pedestrian crashes may not
be reliable, as it often relies on witness reports or driver disclosure.
13
EMERGING ISSUES
Why is it that older children are more at risk today?
Distraction
Distraction itself is not new, but among drivers and pedestrians it is
a growing danger.30 Distractions such as eating, smoking, listening to
the radio, talking to a fellow passenger or anxiety about being lost, late
or both have been issues for many years. Today, there is a world wide
web of diversions: looking up directions on a smartphone, reading an
article on a tablet, talking or texting on cell phones. U.S. Secretary of
Transportation Ray LaHood has been passionate about confronting the
challenge of distracted driving, the twin danger to distraction on foot.
He said:
People continue to assume that they can drive and text or talk at
the same time. . . . The safest way to get from one place to another
is to hang up and drive. Powering down your cell phone when
youre behind the wheel can save lives - maybe even your own.25
Or the life of a child.
According to NHTSA, in 2010 more than 3,000 people were killed and
416,000 injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a driver who was
distracted in some way.26 Exploring distraction that directly endangers
children, Safe Kids conducted an observational study of more than
41,000 drivers in school zones in 2009 and found that one in six drivers
were involved in conduct that could be distractive.27
In addition, nearly 20% of fatalities involving a distracted driver in 2009
included use of a cell phone.28 People who text while driving are 23
times more likely to crash than those who drive without distraction.29
While these studies relate to distracted drivers, there is cause to see
analogous results among distracted walkers.
A recent study by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
reported that in 2011, 1,152 people of all ages were treated in hospital
emergency rooms in the U.S. for injuries suffered while walking and
using a cell phone or some other electronic device. Reports of injuries
to distracted walkers in emergency rooms have more than quadrupled
in the past seven years, and are believed to be underreported.9 Another
study found that between 2004 and 2011, 116 pedestrians were hit
by vehicles while wearing headphones or ear buds; more than a third
of those injured or killed were younger than age 18.31 Research from
the Pew Charitable Trust revealed that 75% of 12 to 17 year olds now
own cell phones, up from 45% in 2004. Today, 72% of teens use textSafe Kids Worldwide
14
messaging as compared to only 51% of teens in 2006. One in three teens

sends more than 100 text messages a day.32
A 2009 study by researchers at the University of Alabama used a
simulated road environment to evaluate road crossing behaviors among
children while they were distracted by a phone conversation.33 The
study found that while on the phone, children were less attentive to
traffic, waited longer before deciding to cross the street, left less time in
the decision to cross the street when there was an approaching passing
car and ultimately experienced more collisions and close calls with the
virtual vehicles.33
The increase in the nonfatal pedestrian injury rate among older children
may provide further evidence of the negative impact that distraction has
as children multi-task on sidewalks and intersections.5,33 Middle schoolaged children, those who are more likely to cross roads independently,
may be at increased risk due to the likelihood that they have their own
cell phones.
More research is necessary to expand our understanding of the risk
associated with distracted walking, who is in the greatest danger and
what the most effective solutions will be.
The Number of Children Walking and the Distance They Travel
The National Center for Safe Routes to School found that the number
of children walking to school has decreased dramatically, potentially
decreasing their exposure to vehicles and contributing to the decline
in pedestrian deaths.34 In the late 1960s, nearly 50% of school-aged
children walked or biked to school, while in 2009 this number declined
to only 13%.34
On the other hand, the Federal Highway Administrations National
Household Travel Survey indicates the total number of miles traveled on
foot by children ages 5 to 15, including trips to school, religious services,
recreational or social activities, increased from 2.8 billion in 1995 to
nearly 4.1 billion in 2009.35 Development of more exact exposure data
will be important to determine the impact it has in pedestrian safety.
Urban and Rural Factors
Urbanization is a complex component of child pedestrian injury
risk. Pedestrian risk increases in areas with more exposure to traffic,
multifamily dwellings, a lack of playgrounds, major roadways, increased
traffic volume, curbside parking and child attractions (e.g., ice cream
vendors), among others.36, 37
15
The density of U.S. population centers continues to grow.38 Today,

more than 80% of the U.S. population lives in urban areas with
many occupying the suburban neighborhoods.38 Urban sprawl, or the
relocation of inner city residents to outlying areas, may be increasing
motor vehicle exposure in a broader swath of a metropolitan area
more and more people rely on vehicles for their commute to and from
the suburbs and exurbs.39 To counteract the changing environment,
modifications in the roadway and land use planning will be critical,
especially to protect children for whom even modest interventions have
been found to provide substantial benefit.36 Improving the design of
roadways and pedestrian facilities, providing access to public transit
options and facilitating walking through planned community design are
just some of the options for getting people walking and walking safely.40
Rural areas have unique challenges when it comes to child pedestrian
safety. While one-third of child pedestrian deaths occur in rural areas, the
causes of these deaths are much different and require different solutions.
The challenges include the following:
Fewer paved sidewalks.
Less signage and fewer streetlights.
Higher speed limits.
Longer distances between home and school.
Longer distances to medical and trauma centers, increasing the risk of
turning a severe injury into a death.41
Transportation policy must consider the challenges when designing
transportation solutions for rural areas.
WHAT THE NATION HAS ACCOMPLISHED

In Safe Kids first report on child pedestrian safety 10 years ago, a call
to action was sounded which outlined critical steps for improving child
pedestrian safety. The recommendations focused on several key areas:
modification of walking environments, implementation of engineering
measures to protect pedestrians, improvement in safety education,
empowerment of all who play a role in child safety and finally enactment
and enforcement of laws and regulations to promote safe walking.
Undoubtedly, achievements have been made in several of these fields
due to the contribution of various stakeholders, including transportation
officials, health organizations and safety advocates.
Safe Kids Worldwide
16
Transportation Policy
Improved pedestrian safety has been approached at the national level.
The Congressional passage of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) law in
2005 included provisions that made highways and streets safer for kids.42
The SAFETEA-LU law established Safe Routes to School (SRTS) as a
federal program that supports children walking and biking to school by
funding both environmental modifications to create safe walking areas
and education to encourage safe pedestrian behavior.43, 44
Safe Kids Engagement
Over the last decade, Safe Kids addressed pedestrians issues through its
programs, research, advocacy and educational efforts.
Safe Kids Worldwide and program sponsor FedEx created the Safe Kids
Walk This Way program to teach drivers and child pedestrians about
safe behaviors and to create safer, more walkable communities. The joint
initiative aims to encourage walking while preventing pedestrian-related
injuries to children. Since the launch of the program in 2000, Safe
Kids Walk This Way has reached families in thousands of communities
around the globe. What started as a pilot program in three U.S. cities has
grown to a global program established in ten countries: Brazil, Canada,
China, India, Mexico, the Philippines, South Korea, Thailand, the
United States, and Vietnam. Safe Kids Walk This Way is a multifaceted
program that involves promoting pedestrian safety through education,
awareness, environmental changes, research and advocacy.
The Safe Kids Walk This Way program has evolved to address the
emerging issues in pedestrian safety. In the 2002 pedestrian research
report, Safe Kids described the need to assess school zones and residential
areas, as well as identify pedestrian safety issues and the methods to
address these environmental dangers. In response, Safe Kids established
the Environmental Task Force initiative in which Safe Kids partners
with experts from the University of North Carolina Highway Safety
Research Center to assess areas where child pedestrians are at risk. More
than 60 permanent pedestrian safety interventions have been completed,
including the installation of crosswalks, refuge islands and curb bulb-outs
and the addition of pedestrian crossing signs, countdown timers
and lights.
17
Safe Kids also encouraged parents to play an active role in the safety
of their children walking to and from school through education and
empowerment programs. Each year in the United States, Walk to School
Day activities involve nearly 300,000 participants who hold educational
assemblies, press conferences and large group walks to and from schools.
The School Safety Committees program was later initiated to encourage
partnerships between school officials, parents and students to determine
an effective action plan to increase walking, physically improve
pedestrian environments and/or advocate for the enforcement of traffic
regulations in each community.
In 2008, Safe Kids launched PHOTOVOICE: Childrens Perspectives
on Road Traffic Safety, a photojournalism and participatory research
project, which engages child pedestrians to identify risk areas and
advocate for the creation of safer pedestrian environments. Photographs
taken by students are presented to community planning bodies and other
decision makers to encourage the prioritization of making pedestrian
improvements. Since the inception of the program, Safe Kids coalitions
in 110 communities have participated in the PHOTOVOICE project.
Safe Kids released a report titled Distracted Drivers in School Zones: A
National Report, highlighting the findings of an observational research
project focused on distracted driving in school zones in 2009. The report
showed that one out of every six drivers is distracted while driving on
the roads near schools. This is particularly dangerous because previous
studies report that distracted drivers have the same diminished skills
as drunk drivers.27 Safe Kids has targeted messages to drivers about the
necessity to avoid distractions while driving in school zones.
After the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released data
finding the rate of children ages 1 to 4 was on the rise for pedestrianrelated accidents and motor vehicle crashes continued to be the leading
cause of death for children from 3 to 14 years, Safe Kids implemented
Start Safe: A Safe Travel Program for Families of Preschoolers in 2010.
The program brings transportation safety education to more than 300
Head Start centers in at-risk areas across the United States to reach the
caregivers of pre-school-aged children. At this age, constant supervision
and parent knowledge is essential to prevent tragic injuries and deaths.
Safe Kids Worldwide
18
WHERE WE NEED TO GO: A CALL TO ACTION

Despite the tremendous progress made for the safety of child pedestrians,
we cannot rest on our success and instead must continue to follow
emerging trendssuch as distractionand innovate. Together, Safe Kids
Worldwide and its 600 U.S. coalitions, transportation officials, health
organizations, environment and safety advocates, and other stakeholders,
can contribute the expertise and resources required to further reduce
child pedestrian injury and death. The steps described below can serve as
a framework upon which a system of effective and sustainable pedestrian
safety efforts can be built.
Educate Populations at Greatest Risk Teenagers
By the age of 10, children begin to cross streets without adult
supervision. Parents continue to need information in order to
be pedestrian role models so that children can learn how to take
responsibility for their own safety. Yet given this studys findings, we
must now turn our attention to changing teenagers behaviors to walk
more safely.
Research Root Causes and Solutions
Evidence-based pedestrian safety programs rely on well-designed
studies. Many facets of the Safe Kids Walk This Way program have
been informed by solid data analysis and best practice research. One
of the first steps in reducing the pedestrian risk is to better understand
the causes behind pedestrian injury and deaths. Building upon this
information, education on pedestrian safety for these urban populations,
combined with infrastructure improvements, will provide the next steps
for reducing the burden of pedestrian-related injury in these areas.
Improve Walking Environments
There is a continued need for the creation of safer and more walkable
communities. Infrastructure improvements to encourage walking will
benefit the environment as well as the health of children and adults who
walk in the area. Such improvements include but are not limited to:
more sidewalks, crosswalks, effective signage (particularly around schools
and in residential areas) and the creation of environments in which
pedestrians can walk while separated from traffic.
Eliminate Distracted Walking
Given the rapid increase in the use of cell phones and other technologies,
only a few studies have been conducted to determine the impact of
walking while distracted by these devices. Even fewer have looked at the
impact of distracted walking among children. Further research needs
to be conducted in this field so that this emerging risk can be better
19
understood and reduced, especially in light of the 2010 data which

revealed the risk to teenagers.
Safe Kids will join others in the safety community to tackle this
important topic over the next year.
Advocate for Kids
We cannot step backwards in protecting our children from injuries and
death as they walk and bike, activities that we should be encouraging,
especially as child obesity rises and children become more sedentary.
Safe Routes to School
While a recently passed law governing highways, Moving Ahead in the

21st Century (MAP-21)45 was progressive in dealing with some areas
involving child safety, one area found to be lacking was how it moved
the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program to the side of the road.
Going forward, Safe Kids will focus its advocacy efforts on returning
SRTS to its former, more vigorous status with its own dedicated source
of funding and mobilize its 600 coalitions to encourage states to use
their flexibility to devote more resources to continuing the SRTS
momentum.
Safe Kids has been in contact with the Congressional leaders who
supported the SRTS program as the MAP-21 bill progressed through
Congress, and will work with them to continue the 20 years of progress
made under SRTS. The community which has supported the program is
active and engaged and is well positioned to achieve a positive result for
SRTS.
Full Federal Funding
As stated above, SRTS was progressive in many road safety programs

that impact pedestrian safety. It set authorized levels for funding.
However, this is meaningless if the Congressional appropriations process
does not provide funding at the authorized levels. This is a challenge
at a time when there is intense pressure to spend less and reduce the
federal deficit. When it comes to child safety, Safe Kids believes that it
is important to provide maximum, authorized funding. Full funding
should be provided in the following programs:
Distracted driving research and mitigation.
The new program which includes funding for Safe Routes to
School.45
Programs to reduce drunk driving, especially involving repeat
offenders.
Safe Kids Worldwide
20
Safe Kids will monitor the appropriations process relating to these

programs. It will weigh in with like-minded national organizations and
the effective grassroots effort of its own 600 coalitions on suggested levels
of funding.
Conclusion
Creating safe and walkable communities for our children must be a
national priority. While weve seen significant progress, we are committed
to continuing this momentum. Through this study, we identified the
uptick in child pedestrian injuriesespecially involving teenagers. This
study is valuable as an early warning signal. As in medicine, prevention
and early diagnosis can save lives in the safety world. We must closely
watch the statistics as they unfold and look for other ways to seek out
datasuch as working with partners at hospitals around the nation
who are on the front line when it comes to injuries and fatalities. It is
evident that public policy has had a positive role in this risk area, and we
must move forward. Continued evaluation of behavior change efforts,
education, environmental improvements and advocacy successes will
enable us to pass on to future generations a culture in which walking
safely can endure.
References
21
1.
Hanley MP, Cody BE, Mickalide AD, Taft CH, Paul HA. Report to the Nation on Child Pedestrian Safety. Washington, DC: National Safe Kids Campaign,
October 2002.
2.
Dukehart J, Donahue MP, Deeks D. Prifti C. Latest Trends in Child Pedestrian Safety: A Five-Year Review. Washington, DC: Safe Kids Worldwide, October
2007.
3.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Action Plan for Child Injury Prevention. 2012. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/safechild/pdf/
National_Action_Plan_for_Child_Injury_Prevention.pdf . Accessed August 3, 2012.
4.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 19 and Under Pedestrian Fatalities in Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities by Year and Age: Fatality Analysis
Reporting System (FARS) 1995 to 2009 Final and 2010 ARF. Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
5.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NASS General Estimates System. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Website. Available from:
http://www.nhtsa.gov/Data/National+Automotive+Sampling+System+(NASS)/NASS+General+Estimates+System. Accessed June 25, 2012.
6.
U.S. Census Bureau. Statistical Abstract of the United States: 1996. U.S. Census Bureau Website. Available from: http://www.census.gov/prod/2/
gen/96statab/pop.pdf. Accessed June 25, 2012.
7.
U.S. Census Bureau. Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2002. U.S. Census Bureau Website. Available from: http://www.census.gov/
prod/2003pubs/02statab/pop.pdf. Accessed June 25, 2012.
8.
U.S. Census Bureau. Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2012. U.S. Census Bureau Website. Available from: http://www.census.gov/compendia/
statab/2012/tables/12s0007.pdf. Accessed June 25, 2012.
9.
National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, US Consumer Product Safety Commission, 2011. Available from: http://www.cpsc.gov/library/neiss.html.
Accessed August 13, 2012.
10.
Amanda Lenhart, Pew Research Center, Teens, Cell Phones and Texting, April 20, 2010. Available from: http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1572/teens-cellphones-text-messages. Accessed August 1, 2012.
11.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Estimate of Pedestrians Injured in Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes, by Age Group and Month, General
Estimates System (GES) 2010. Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
12.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Estimate of Pedestrians Injured in Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes, by Age Group and Time of Day, General
Estimates System (GES) 2010. Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
13.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 19 and Under Pedestrian Fatalities in Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities by Year, Sex and Age, Fatality
Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 1995 to 2009 Final and 2010 ARF. Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
14.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Estimate of Pedestrians Injured in Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes, by Year, Age Group, and Gender,
General Estimates System (GES) 1995-2010. Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
15.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 19 and Under Pedestrian Fatalities in Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities by Sex and Age: Fatality Analysis
Reporting System (FARS) 2010 ARF. Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
16.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 19 and Under Pedestrian Fatalities in Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities by Race and Ethnicity and Age:
Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2009 ARF. Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
17.
U.S. Census Bureau, Available from http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/cats/population/estimatesand_projections_by_age_sex_raceethnicity.

html. Accessed August 8, 2012.
18.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 19 and Under Pedestrian Fatalities in Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities by Month and Age: Fatality Analysis
Reporting System (FARS) 2010 ARF. Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
19.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 19 and Under Pedestrian Fatalities in Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities by Time of Day and Age: Fatality
Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2010 ARF. Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
20.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 19 and Under Pedestrian Fatalities in Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities by Roadway Function Class and
Age: Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2010 ARF. Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
21.
American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Injury, Violence and Poison Prevention. Policy statement- pedestrian safety. Pediatrics.2009; 124:
802-812.
22.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 19 and Under Pedestrian Fatalities in Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities by Nonmotorist Location and Age:
Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2010 ARF. Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
23.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 19 and Under Pedestrian Fatalities in Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities by Traffic Control Device and Age:
Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2009 Final. Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
24.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 19 and Under Fatalities in Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes by Age, Person Type, and Speeding
Involvement in the Crash: Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2010 ARF. Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
25.
U.S. Department of Transportation, A Message from Secretary LeHood, distraction.gov, Available from: http://www.distraction.gov/content/about-us/
message-from-secretary-LaHood.html. Accessed August 3, 2012.
26.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. What is Distracted Driving? National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Website. Available from:
http://www.distraction.gov/content/get-the-facts/facts-and-statistics.html. Accessed June 18, 2012.
27.
Grabowski JG, Goodman S. Distracted Drivers in School Zones: A National Report Washington, DC Safe Kids Worldwide 2009.
28.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Traffic Safety Facts Research Note: Distracted Driving 2009. National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration Website. Available from: http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811379.pdf. Accessed June 18, 2012.
29.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. What is Distracted Driving? National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Website. Available from:
http://www.distraction.gov/content/get-the-facts/facts-and-statistics.html. Accessed June 18, 2012.
30.
Lowy, J. Distracted walking: smartphone-wielding pedestrians stumble into danger, Christian Science Monitor. Available from: http://www.csmonitor.
com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/2012/0730/Distracted-walking-Smartphone-wielding-pedestrians-stumble-into-danger. Accessed August 3, 2012.
31.
Lichenstein R, Smith DC, Ambrose JL, Moody LA. Headphone use and pedestrian injury and death in the United States: 2004 2011. Inj Prev
doi:10:1136/injuryprev-2011-040161.
32.
Pew Research Center. Teens, cell phones, and texting. Available at: http://pewrresearch.org/pubs. Accessed August 3, 2012.
33.
Stavrinos D, Byington KW, Schwebel DC. Effect of cell phone distraction on pediatric pedestrian injury risk.Pediatrics. 2009; 123(2): e179-185.
34.
National Center for Safe Routes to School. How Children Get to School: School Travel Patterns from 1969 to 2009. Chapel Hill, NC: National Center for
Safe Routes to School; November 2011.
35.
U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. NHTS Tables.U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration
Website. Available from: http://nhts.ornl.gov/det/Extraction3.aspx. Accessed June 25, 2012.
36.
DiMaggio C, Li G. Roadway characteristics and pediatric pedestrian injury risk. Epidemiol Rev. 2012;34: 46-56.
37.
Moudon AV, Lin L, Jiao J, Hurvitz P, Reeves P. The risk of pedestrian injury and fatality in collisions with motor vehicles, a social ecological study of
state routes and city streets in Kind County, Washington. Accid Anal Prev. 2011;43(1): 11-24.
38.
U.S. Census Bureau. Growth in Urban Population Outpaces Rest of Nation, Census Bureau Reports. U.S. Census Bureau Website; March 26, 2012.
Available from: http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/2010_census/cb12-50.html. Accessed June 22, 2012.
39.
Yiannakoulias N, Scott DM, Rowe BH, Voaklander DC. Child pedestrian injuries and urban change. Inj Prev. 2011;17(1): 9-14.
40.
Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center. Implement Solutions. Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center Website. Available from: http://www.
walkinginfo.org/solutions/. Accessed June 22, 2012.
41.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Traffic Safety Facts: Rural/Urban Comparison, 2007 http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/810996.PDF
42.
Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), Public Law 109-59, 109th Cong., 1st sess.
(Government Printing Office, 2005). Available from: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-109publ59/pdf/PLAW-109publ59.pdf. Accessed August 3,
2012.
43.
Safe Routes to Schools, SAFETEA-LU, Public Law 109-59, 109th Cong., 1st sess. (Government Printing Office, 2005). http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/
PLAW-109publ59/pdf/PLAW-109publ59.pdf. Accessed August 3, 2012.
44.
National Center for Safe Routes to School. History of SRTS. Available from: http://www.saferoutesinfo.org/about-us/mission-and-history. Accessed
August 3, 2012.
45.
Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21), Public Law 112-141, 112th Cong., 2d sess. (Government Printing Office, 2012). http://
www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112hr4348enr/pdf/BILLS-112hr4348enr.pdf. Accessed August 3, 2012.
Suggested Citation
Mickalide AD, Rosenthal KM, Green A, Baker JM. Walking Safely: A Report to the Nation. Washington, DC: Safe Kids Worldwide, August 2012.
Safe Kids Worldwide
22
Safe Kids Worldwide

1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Suite 1000
Washington, D.C. 20004
202.662.0600
www.safekids.org
2012 Safe Kids Worldwide

Walking Safely Research Report

Загружено:

Сведения о документе

Авторское право

Доступные форматы

Поделиться этим документом

Поделиться или встроить документ

Параметры публикации

Этот документ был вам полезен?

Это неприемлемый материал?

Авторское право:

Доступные форматы

Walking Safely Research Report

Загружено:

Авторское право:

Доступные форматы

Walking Safely

A Report to the Nation

Walking Safely: A Report to the Nation

Safe Kids Worldwide

THE GOOD NEWS IS

INJURY RATES FOR

Most at risk are

In the last five years, injuries

over the previous five years

Could digital devices be a cause?

of 12-17 year olds owned cell phones

Walking Safely: A Report to the Nation

Trends: Good News and Bad News

This report examines motor

Death Rates (per 100,000)

Death Rates (per 100,000)

Walking Safely: A Report to the Nation

Figure 4: Trends in Child Pedestrian Estimated Injury Rates by Age Group,

Safe Kids Worldwide

Trends in the Number of Injuries, 2001-2005 versus 2006-2010

Change in Number of Injuries

Safe Kids believes pedestrian distraction is a critical factor in this increase

Walking Safely: A Report to the Nation

Trends in Gender Differences

Death Rates (per 100,000)

Figure 7: Trends in Child Pedestrian Estimated Injury Rates by Sex,

Estimated Injury Rates (per 100,000)

Safe Kids Worldwide

2010 Snapshot for Pedestrian Deaths and Injuries

By Gender: Consistent with past trends, males made up a majority

Walking Safely: A Report to the Nation

By Race and Ethnicity: As depicted in Figure 10, white, non-Hispanic

1.9% 1.3% 1.3%4.4%

Percent of 19 and Under Population

Percent of Pedestrian Deaths

Who is Being Injured?

As children age, they are generally at increased risk for pedestrian

Safe Kids Worldwide

Figure 11: Estimated Child Pedestrian Injuries by Age,

Estimated Number of Injuries

When and Where?

As shown in Figures 12 and 13, there is a decrease in pedestrian deaths

Walking Safely: A Report to the Nation

As shown in Figure 13, the number of nonfatal injuries is highest in the

Estimated Number of Injuries

Safe Kids Worldwide

In 2010, a majority, 67%, of deaths occurred on urban roads.20 This is

In terms of location, 39% of child pedestrians died as a result of being

Walking Safely: A Report to the Nation

messaging as compared to only 51% of teens in 2006. One in three teens

Walking Safely: A Report to the Nation

The density of U.S. population centers continues to grow.38 Today,

WHAT THE NATION HAS ACCOMPLISHED

Safe Kids Worldwide

Walking Safely: A Report to the Nation

Safe Kids Worldwide

WHERE WE NEED TO GO: A CALL TO ACTION

Walking Safely: A Report to the Nation

understood and reduced, especially in light of the 2010 data which

While a recently passed law governing highways, Moving Ahead in the

As stated above, SRTS was progressive in many road safety programs

Safe Kids Worldwide

Safe Kids will monitor the appropriations process relating to these

Walking Safely: A Report to the Nation